CHICAGO (January 18, 2022) – Transfers Bree Borum (Sterling, Ill./Sterling/Florida Gulf Coast) and Bayley McMenimen (Niceville, Fla./Niceville/Minnesota) will join the Loyola University Chicago women's volleyball roster for the 2022 season, it was announced today by Ramblers head coach Amanda Berkley.
 
"We are thrilled to be welcoming both Bree and Bayley to our program," Berkley said. "They will help elevate our program to the next level as we transition to the Atlantic 10 Conference." 
 
Bree Borum, 6-0, Setter, Sterlng, Ill. (Sterling/Florida Gulf Coast)
Appeared in 46 sets and hit .400 (3-1-5) with 21 assists (0.46 per set), 21 digs (0.46 per set), two blocks and an ace in her lone season at Florida Gulf Coast in 2021 … Helped the Eagles to a 27-6 overall record and a 16-1 mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference … FGCU won the A-Sun title and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, posting a come-from-behind, five-set victory over Texas Tech in the opening round … Helped Sterling High School to back-to-back IHSA Class 3A state titles in 2018 and 2019 … Was nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior and earned First Team All-Western Big 6 honors … Captured all-conference and all-state accolades in each of her four prep seasons … Has three seasons of eligibility to use.
 
Berkley on Borum: "Bree comes from a volleyball family and is an athletic setter who is versatile enough to see time as a hitter as well. Bree is a winner and has experienced success as a two-time state champion in high school, while also helping her team at Florida Gulf Coast reach the NCAA Tournament Second Round last fall."
 
Borum on Loyola: "The coaches made Loyola seem like a place where I will improve on the court and in the classroom. The campus is beautiful and it seemed like one big family that I am so excited to be a part of."
 
Bayley McMenimen, 5-9, Setter, Niceville, Fla. (Niceville/Minnesota)
Graduate transfer who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining … Previously played at Minnesota, where she was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams, including the 2019 Gophers squad that reached the NCAA Final Four … Her best season came as a sophomore in 2019 when she appeared in 71 sets and doled out 491 assists and added nine service aces … Notched five double-doubles in her career, all of which came during her sophomore campaign … Three-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree … Played in Germany from 2010-12 with VC Stuttgart, where her teams competed at the German Junior National Championships
 
Berkley on McMenimen: "Like Bree, Bayley is a winner and comes from a great program at Minnesota, where she was well coached. Bayley possesses great location and decision making as an experienced setter in one of the best conferences in the country and she will only strengthen our roster by bringing some leadership from the setter position."
 
McMenimen on Loyola: "I wanted to go somewhere with high academic standards as well as competitive volleyball and Loyola checks both boxes. I loved the city and the entire team was so welcoming even before I set foot on campus."
 
Loyola had its most successful season since 2004, going 22-10 overall in the fall 2021 campaign, while equaling a program record for conference wins (14) on the way to a Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship, the program's first league crown since 2002. 
 
Berkley will welcome back five starters plus libero next fall when the Ramblers begin competition as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. A pair of First Team All-MVC performers – senior outside hitter Addie Barnes and senior middle hitter Taylor Venuto - will lead the way for Loyola next fall. In 2021, Venuto became the first Rambler since 2004 to earn American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region recognition when she was tabbed All-North Region Honorable Mention.